The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-12-10
THE GARDEN OF EDEN.
A Methodist Bishop Intimates That 1t Was
Located in South Carolina.

South, say Us far as Charleston, en-
bracing the coast between the Santee !
and Savannah, with its several rivers
and inlets. between the thirtieth and
fortieth parallels of latitude. We have
for it this much to say:
1. In and near the Cooper and the
Ashley rivers there is q vast collection
Of the remains of the largest mammals,
especially of their molars and vertebrn.
These are remarkable for their variety;
very huge, very many, and evidently
of many distinct species. We put this
against all solitary individuals as yet
discovered in or near the Arctic re-
gions.
2. Besides those remains, which,
from the amount of silica in them have
resisted the action of time and acids,
there are phosphate masses in which
these molars are imbedded. Probably
the large bones returned to their origi-
nal source. Then there are scattered
about small and large powders of the
phosphate of lime, indicating at a
greater depth mine of this mineral.
3. This shows that these animals
were not floated into this place by the
action of sea currents, but were here
from the first, and found in the alluvial
plains around, and meadows filled with
dubious plants. and an exuberant flora,
their original habitat. Only region
supplying plants fed by h heavy phos-
phate pabulum could support creatures
of such enormous bone.
t. As these several species multi
piled from u single pair, masses of
their remains would most probably
Indicate the place of their origin.
Whether Behemoth was made in Ellen,
we know that he was reviewed there,
and there named Adam. And the AL
mighty says, speaking TO Job: "Be-
hold now Behemoth, which l made
with thee; he eateth grass like an OK"
These views, if correct are still
further strengthened by the building
of the ark. AS the race had not beer
separated by dispersion or language, il
is to be supposed that Noah lived not
very far from the original home of
man.
The construction of vessel at that
time required the same conditions OF
material and shape now essential in
naval architecture. Indeed, the dimen-
sions of the ark are now those of a
first-class sea steamer for freight, and
are the standard proportions in the En-
glish Admiralty Office. 1t was long,
narrow vessel, evidently designed fol-
speed and Il long voyage. Had it been
made on y to start from a given point
and float about for one hundred and
fifty days and then ground ut no grea
distance from the point of departure
it would have been shaped heavy and
square.
The timbers for such q vessel O
length of over five hundred feet require
timber of continuous length and grea
strength. The cypress was entirel,
too brittle for the purpose. It's kee
and ribs would require such wood a
the live oak. grown near the sea, uset
to storms, and Of grain running ever,
way, bearing equally well strain from
every direction. Large quantities o
pitch and tar would be required 70
pitching it heavily within and without
The word gopher" means 'pitch,
pine and it is probable that tn
gopher wood was the wood of the long
leaf pine. ne ed rot say that ethe
of the Carolnas could have furnishe,
the materials in abundance.
That the ark was built somcwha
inland for convenience of timber i
probable. Yet not very far, rs tn
principal weight of its cargo was to b
graminivorous stock, and large quaint
ties of dried heritage. both of which wer
to come from meadow lands.
The breaking up of the deep, etc. a
the time of the deluge, would not impl,
necessarily any very great change il
the conformation of the continents, no
in the sea currents. 1t would PRESENT.
strike the Gulf Stream. Floating Oh
that sea current it would take
northerly direction until it reached tn
fortieth parallel, and then would g
due east, and us many Il helpless Graf
since, would come within sight of Spai
and Africa. But those coasts bein.
submerged, there would be nothing t
defect the current. but it would pas
over the plateaus of Spain. into tn
: Mediterranean, across the lower par
of Greece. then over the plains of Asi
Minor. and, still holding the sam
parallel, strike Mount Ararat. The dis
tancc from Charleston to Mount Arara
is l31 degrees Of latitude, say 8,515 miles
The time the ark was on the water WA
$50 days, or $500 hours. Of Cap
Hatteras the Gulf Stream has Il vclocit
, of two miles an hour; this would lcav
very little to be overcome, if any thing
when we allow for the uninterrupte
flow which the current then had.
1t is not likely that animals woul
{ be landed in any other than the lati
tude to which they were accustomed
They would determine the direction q
the ark. The pathway OF the ark undc
this superstition had blessing in it
Between the thirIieth and forfeit
! nurnllpls have snriluu thp Trpct mill